Larne vs HJK Helsinki Predictions

Larne vs HJK Helsinki predictions for Wednesday’s Champions League qualifier. Who will progress further? Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.

Match Live Wednesday, 19th July at 7:30 pm In:

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Larne vs HJK Helsinki Predictions

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Larne and HJK Helsinki: The Balance of Power in the Second Leg Clash

In the next stage of the UEFA Champions League, HJK Helsinki, the champions from Finland, will journey to Northern Ireland for the second leg of the first qualifying round against Larne at Solitude this coming Wednesday evening.

Following their first-leg 1-0 victory at Bolt Arena, the Finnish squad holds the upper hand as they step into this match, and are the bookmakers’ favourite to secure a position in the subsequent round against Norwegian champions, Molde. Larne, while displaying a commendable performance in the first match, struggled to pierce Helsinki’s defence, failing to land a shot on target in three attempts.

Despite an early setback, Larne defended doggedly, managing to keep the Finnish squad at bay, maintaining a 1-0 scoreline. This result offers them a fighting chance at home. It is essential to highlight that with their first-leg loss, Larne have been unable to find the back of the net in their last three competitive matches, including the final game of the last season and the Charity Shield earlier this month.

Regardless of this setback, it’s impossible to overlook the incredible strides Larne, under the leadership of Tiernan Lynch, have made in recent years. From languishing at the bottom of the second tier in 2017, they’ve climbed their way up to compete for the top honours only five seasons later, after securing their domestic league title by a six-point lead. Their robust home record, with only a single loss across the whole domestic league season, and an unbeaten streak of ten games, should provide a much-needed boost to their confidence.

In contrast, the 32-time Veikkausliiga champions, HJK Helsinki, marked their first step towards the second round with a third-minute penalty goal from Bojan Radulovic in a match they largely dominated. Toni Koskela, the team’s coach, will likely feel his side should have capitalised more on the first leg, as multiple opportunities were squandered due to sub-par finishing and repeated offside offences.

While being a domestic powerhouse for years, this season hasn’t been as smooth sailing for Helsinki, as they find themselves in third place after a 1-0 loss to third-bottom FC Lahti at home. This defeat not only halted their nine-match unbeaten league run but also marked the first instance they failed to score since early June.

Even though HJK Helsinki’s form this term is not at its zenith, they are still expected to be strong contenders for progress.

Both teams will likely make changes to their lineups for the upcoming match. Larne could see Isaac Westendorf, a young talent from Newcastle United Under-21, take the place of Andy Ryan, who had little impact in the first leg. Paul O’Neill may also make a comeback, and Daniel Kearns may replace Dylan Sloan. For HJK Helsinki, expect Bojan Radulovic, the scorer of the first leg’s lone goal, to maintain his position, while Roope Riski might replace Topi Keskinen upfront.

Predictions

Looking at the form and data available for both teams, the following predictions can be made:

1. Under/Over: Given HJK Helsinki’s struggle to capitalise on their opportunities in the first leg and Larne’s recent struggle to score, it is likely that the total goals will remain under 2.5. This prediction is backed by the fact that Larne has only conceded two goals in their last ten home games.
2. Correct Score Prediction: Based on the teams’ recent form and match data, a 1-0 win in favour of HJK Helsinki seems plausible. This follows the pattern of the first leg and takes into consideration Larne’s recent scoring drought.
3. Goalscorer Prediction: Given his current form and the decisive goal in the first leg, Bojan Radulovic is a strong contender to score at least once in the match.

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